


Intertwined

by MHGeek



Series: Intertwined [2]
Category: Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Youtube RPF, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Other, SOULMATE TIMERS, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-10
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-11 13:09:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3327914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MHGeek/pseuds/MHGeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been three years since the events of Time. You've finally come to terms with the revelation, and your life is finally coming back together when you notice something wrong with your timer. </p><p>Sequel to Time by MHGeek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rewind

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided that this fic will be a multi-chapter fic.

You aren't quite sure when it happened. It could have been any day in the last week, although you had your suspicions. It frightened you- because if your suspicions were correct, all it meant was more pain and heartbreak, likely identical, or possibly bigger in magnitude, than the last. 

Your timer had reset. Not only that, but it looked newer. The scratches littering it had disappeared, as had the scars marring your skin from when you tried to rip it out in a rage. You would have sworn you went back in time- if not for the reflection in the mirror, the tired adult who radiated an aura of 'I gave up'.

It didn't take long to find what it meant. You weren't the only one who's soulmate wasn't theirs. You spent some time snooping through online forums you had joined, support groups for people like you, who had nearly completely given up at the revelation. After a few hours, you found it- and were horrified that your suspicions were correct. 

There had been a decline in videos on the Markiplier channel, and in the few videos put up every week, Mark looked torn up about something. His cheery, goofy demeanor had disappeared, and he looked like a shell of his former self. Fans were speculating that it might be Darkiplier, re-emerging from the depths. You knew better. 

It took a few hours for you to build up the courage to contact him. You sent him an email, to his business email address, hoping he'd see it. You left the subject blank, not knowing what to write there, and began typing a short missive. 

"Mark,

I'm so sorry about your loss. It's hard to get over a lost soulmate, I know. I'm sure that whoever they were, they were a wonderful person. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm here for you.

My condolences,  
A Friend"

-M- -M- -M-

It was a few days later that, while you were playing the piano, your laptop let out a little 'ding!', signaling the arrival of an email. At first you thought one of the piano keys was out of tune, but after banging on it for a few minutes, you realized that the noise came from an external source.

You ventured to your laptop and opened up the email client on it. Your heart seemed to skip a beat as you realized that the email was a response from Markiplier. You took a few deep breaths to ground yourself, to remind yourself that, god, he just lost his soulmate and needs support, you have to focus on him, not yourself. 

You open the email, and begin to read. 

"Friend,

Is it that easy to tell from my videos? Or are you not really a 'Friend', but something more sinister?

-Mark"

You smile sadly, leaving the email alone so you can figure out exactly what you'd like to respond with. Instead, you venture into the kitchen of your shared flat and pull out a package of ramen noodles. As you begin to prepare the meal, you hear the front door slam- a clear sign that your roommate has returned.  
"Hey!" You call into the hallway, "I'm making some ramen, you want some?" 

You hear a few thuds, momentarily worried that someone is breaking into your home, when Jen comes around the corner with a burst of speed. "You'll never guess what just happened!" She exclaims, grinning from ear to ear.

"No way," you say, your jaw dropping in suprise.

"I got the part! I'm officially an actress!" She jumps up and down in glee. "But you'll never guess what happened next." 

She shoves her wrist in your face, and it takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust. When they do, they widen considerably. Her timer has counted down, frozen at 000 y, 000 d, 000 h, 000 m, 000 s.

"Who was it?" You demand, remembering just in time that you're cooking ramen and can't get caught up in the moment, lest it burn. 

"It was one of the camera men, I bumped into him while they were packing up the equipment. His name is Brian." She gushes, then begins to rant about his muscles. You pour the noodles into two bowls and hand her one. 

"Something happened to me too." You interrupt her, deciding that you no longer want to hide it from your best friend. "My timer- I've never heard of them doing this before- but it restarted."

It takes a few moments for the news to sink in, and you manage a few mouthfuls of food before she realizes what you just said. 

"What does it mean?" Jen says quietly, her voice colored with concern. 

"His soulmate is dead." Your voice mirrors hers in volume, but is void of emotion. You stare into your bowl, hating the part of you that whispers 'a chance, I have a chance now'. 

"Oh my god..." She whispers, horrified. You nod and place your empty bowl in the sink. You leave her in the kitchen and go back to your laptop to write a reply.

"Mark,

I am no stalker, I promise. It isn't obvious in your videos, but I lost my soulmate in a way, so I know what it looks like. I also know, to an extent, what it feels like. When I lost mine, I had no one to talk to who had also lost theirs, which is why I want to help you. If you'll let me, that is. 

A Friend"

You hit the send button and shut your computer, hoping for more than one reason that he would accept your help.


	2. The Person You'd Take A Bullet For Is Behind The Trigger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am amazed at how much feedback this has gotten. Thank you so much!
> 
> The Chapter Title is from the song "Miss Missing You" by Fall Out Boy. The Skype handle is taken from the song "Meteor Shower" by Owl City. 
> 
> I meant to mention before, but the rating is subject to change. It will not, however, be Mature or Explicit. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Mark didn't email you back. Approaching on six days with no response, you figured he simply did not want to talk to you, choosing to confide in his friends instead. 

When you slept, you had horrible visions of a car crash. The road was icy, you kept slipping, you couldn't get in control of the car. You couldn't breathe, terror gripped your heart like loved ones held hands. Seconds later, you hit the barrier. You couldn't feel the pain- it was a dream, after all- but you could tell how much it hurt to have your head slammed against the window. The car flipped, and you tiredly watched as someone rushed down the hill, phone in hand, talking so quickly that you couldn't read their lips. 

You woke up in a sweat. It was a different accident every time, different details, but always a car crash. You developed a fear of cars, and when you had somewhere to go, prefered to walk there. You were terrified that your dreams were visions of what was to come. 

A week passed. You ceased checking your email so often, only checking it once a day opposed to an hour. Markiplier began updating his channel again. He seemed less upset, more happy, but there was still something wrong. 

Exactly a month following your email to him is when it happens. A video is uploaded, an indie survival game. The first cutscene is at the very beginning of the game, an introductory cut scene. A car going through an intersection is hit by a semi. The video cuts to past the cutscene, to the main menu. Mark is shaky, pale, but grinning. When he speaks, his voice is raw. 

You have to stop the video. It dawns on you that you might not be dreaming of your future. You spend half the day vomiting in the bathroom after realizing that it was his soulmate's death you were living through, not your own. Jen asks you what's wrong. You tell her it's food poisoning. 

You return to your computer a few hours later, with the intent on finding a scientist, someone, anyone who can explain your dreams. You find a professor at a university near you, one Professor Randy Seymour, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on soulmate bonds. You decide to email him. 

There is an email in your inbox, dated from this morning. It's from Mark. You decide to draft your email to the Professor first, so you can focus solely on Mark's later. 

"Professor Seymour,

I'm not one of your students, but I was wondering if you might answer a question of mine. See, I met my soulmate three years ago, and found out that although he is my soulmate, I am not his. Recently, my timer started up again, and I've come to the conclusion that his soulmate died. Since the timer restarted, I've been having dreams of a car crash- at first I believed that it was a vision of my future demise, but now I am inclined to believe it was their demise, not my own. I am curious as to know why I am seeing these visions, and if you have the time and knowledge, it would be very kind for you to share it with me. 

Thank you."

As soon as this email is sent, you open Mark's email, saddened to see the four words that were there. 

"Does it get easier?"

You stare at the message for a while, your eyes misting up. You wanted to tell him that yes, it does get easier, it gets so much easier, you'll be happy again one day. You can't lie to him. You send him an equally brief message. 

"My Skype Username- IAmNotMyOwn"

You didn't expect the speed with which the friend request came on skype. Nor did you expect the voice call that pops up almost immediately after you accept the request. 

The call opens and the first thing you hear is deep, uneven breathing, as if he is trying not to cry. You have to bite your lip to keep you from crying. 

"I wish I could say that it gets better. God, I really wish I could. It's like a wound that keeps opening, keeps hurting. Eventually you get used to the pain, but... It's hard, and eventually you'll be able to be happy again, but it will always hurt." You spoke quietly, in what you hoped was a soothing voice. 

It was silent for a little while before he responded. "How long ago...?" He asks, his voice raspy. 

"A little over three years ago now. I had barely found him before I lost him." You say, thinking back to the convention that turned your life upside down. 

"How did you cope with it?" He asks. You hear some rustling in the background, likely a tissue box. 

"It was really hard- I almost didn't. I didn't lose my soulmate the same way you lost yours. Mine... He had a partner." You say, settling with a vague truth. "I joined a forum online, probably about a year ago. I made some friends on it, all of us had lost our soulmates in one way or another. We help each other."

"Could you... give me the name of the website, maybe?" He asks. You wish you could see his face. 

"I can send you a link to it. My username is the same on there... So if you ever need anyone to talk to, you can contact me both ways." You offer, copy pasting a link into the chat box. 

"Thanks. I need to go record a video for YouTube... And I'm sorry about your soulmate. I hope he comes around." He seems so sincere, and you smile sadly, glad he can't see you.

"I hope so too." You whisper before he ends the call. You spend the rest of the day curled up in the comfiest chair in your home, watching his videos.


	3. Enough To Make My Systems Blow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This hasn't been updated in a while, and I'd like to apologize for that. However, I was behind on schoolwork which I value more important than fanfiction (barely). I'm going to try to write more today so I can update again soon. 
> 
> Also, I intend this fic to be about 5 chapters, but that may change. 
> 
> Chapter title from Radioactive by Imagine Dragons.

It was two in the morning when your computer lit up, effectively waking and temporarily blinding you. You throw back the covers and stumble over to your laptop, squinting at the screen. You half expect it to be Mark- who has begun taking to you more often, now that he has your skype- but instead, it's an email from the Professor that you emailed nearly a week back. 

You skim through the email, which is very long and goes into many details. Most of it you don't understand, and you are relieved when he summarizes it at the bottom of the message. 

"In summary, the theory I have is that his soulmate and you are not two different people, but the same soul split between two different bodies by some celestial force. It may seem far-fetched, but I assure you it is one of the more likely possibilities. If it is the case, although you and your soulmate may have a great relationship, it will always feel like it's missing someone. My sincere apologies.

Professor Seymour"

You stare blankly at the email for a while. You have no idea what to make of the information. It's so preposterous, but it explains the dreams. Could she be in here with me? You wonder, closing your laptop. 

You look over at your clock, realizing that it's nearly 3 A.M. at this point. You abandon the idea of sleep in favor of going to make yourself a cup of hot cocoa. You hear up warm milk in a pan, then add the powder to it. You've made enough for two cups, so Jen can have a mug when she gets back from the nighttime shoot of her movie. 

You open up Netflix and put the Disney movie "The Beauty and the Beast" on as background noise. You need to think, and this silence is not helping you a bit. 

If you even saw him again, would you want to... to be with him? Is his timer even counting down again? You don't want to run into him again for it to turn out that his timer never started again. You didn't want to relive the heartbreak of it. You didn't want to feel like you were dying all over again. 

A hand on your shoulder startles you out of your thoughts. "Hey, are you okay?" Jen asks. You didn't hear her come in. 

"You've been really out of it recently, I'm worried about you."

You shake your head. "I'm fine," you reply, "just stressed out and not getting enough sleep." 

"You're not fine. You hardly leave the house anymore, bar going to work. You look like a deer caught in headlights whenever you see a car, and I've only seen you eat three times within the last week. I'm not going to make you tell me what's wrong, but I'm always here for you, okay?" She says. You nod, hoping she just goes to her room to sleep. 

She does, and you are once again left with your thoughts. You go retrieve your computer from your room and return to the couch. You have a post to write on the forums. 

-M- -M- -M-

You wake up sometime around noon, unaware that you even fell asleep again. You glance around the room around you and see that there's a note on the coffee table, along with a bowl of oatmeal. You open up the note. It's the normal format, just Jen informing you that she's out at today's shoot already, and that she made you some food and please eat it, you don't eat enough. 

You humor her and eat a bit, glancing at your laptop. There is a Skype notification on there, from Mark of course. You open it and read the four words.

WilfredWarfstache: I'm worried about you.  
IAmNotMyOwn: You too, huh?  
WilfredWarfstache: ?  
IAmNotMyOwn: My roommate talked to me early this morning, told me that I was worrying her.  
WilfredWarfstache: To be fair, you hardly ever leave home.  
IAmNotMyOwn: How would you know that?  
WilfredWarfstache: You hardly ever sign out of Skype. I mean, it's great that you're here whenever I need you, but you need to do something.  
IAmNotMyOwn: I do do things. I have a job.  
WilfredWarfstache: I mean other than a job. Go outside and do something.  
IAmNotMyOwn: Yeah, but what if you need someone to talk to and I'm not here?  
WilfredWarfstache: I can wait. You need to take a break from worrying about me.  
IAmNotMyOwn: Fine, I'll do something. Happy?  
WilfredWarfstache: Very :P

You power down your laptop and grab your phone, your wallet, and your keys before leaving the apartment. You decide to go to the park a few blocks away, maybe get something to eat from the deli across the street. 

You do end up picking up a sandwhich from the deli, and sit on a bench to eat it. You watch the people in the park while you chew. There's a blonde girl playing frisbee with what looks to be her younger brother. There is a family of six having a picnic, and another girl playing a DS. 

Your phone buzzes. You forgot you had installed Skype on it. 

WilfredWarfstache: You're still online, you know.  
IAmNotMyOwn: That would be the nefarious work of 4G.  
WilfredWarfstache: You're actually outside???  
IAmNotMyOwn: Oh, haha, real funny  
WilfredWarfstache: I try

You look up from your phone to survey the inhabitants of the park again. The family is still eating, and the DS girl seems to be on a crash course with the frisbee girl. You consider calling out to her, but realize that she would likely not hear you from such a distance. You watch as they bump into each other, both girls dropping their possessions. Both their heads dart downwards to look at something, and a sinking feeling manifests in your stomach when you realize what happened.

They found each other. 

No longer hungry, you discard the sandwhich in the nearest trash can. You all but run back to your apartment. When you get there, you pull out a small can of paint from when you repainted your rooms. 

You paint over your timer.


	4. The Clock Ticks Life Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little less than 500 words. I cannot believe this has gotten nearly a hundred kudos, thank you so much! 
> 
> Chapter title is from "In The End" by Linkin Park. 
> 
> This chapter is short, but is needed to lead up to the next chapter.
> 
> (Sorry.)

The week continues as normal. You realize how much happier you are now that your timer is painted over, not having to look at the promise of future heartbreak any longer. The weekend passes, and before you know it, the Thanksgiving holidays are approaching. 

You and Mark had become closer as friends, either talking or playing games everyday. When you did, you could almost forget about the inevitable meeting, the endless possibilities, and you could pretend that you were nothing more than, nor destined to be more than, friends. 

Jen had reserved seats at a fancy restaurant in the city for the holiday, inviting some of your mutual friends and her soulmate. You knew you were going to have to travel by car, and had begged Jen to have her car checked beforehand. She gave you a concerned look, but said nothing. 

You put on your nicest clothing, which unfortunately were only a pair of slacks and a button up shirt, and prepare mentally for the car ride. You pull out your phone and send Mark a quick "Happy Thanksgiving!" message before you leave. 

When you exit your building, you scan the street for Jen's car. It pulls around and skids to a stop in front of you. The sound sends shivers down your spine. You fumble for the door handle, your hand slipping off as you begin to sweat. Jen opens the door from the inside for you, and you quietly thank her. 

The restaurant is only about ten minutes away by car, so you sit back in the seat and close your eyes, trying to tune out everything and calm yourself. It doesn't work.

"Hey, are you alright? You're shaking." You open your eyes to see Jen looking at you. 

"I'm fine, I'm just anxious." You say, your eyes glued to the road. 

"You're not fine! You look like you're on the edge of having a panic attack! Just from getting into a car. Please, just tell me what's wrong!" Jen exclaims, gripping the steering wheel hard.

"Jen, I-" You stutter, trying to speak. She turns to look at you. 

You turn your stare to the road and your eyes widen considerably.

"LOOK OUT!" You yell, as she speeds through a stoplight. You hear a crunch and everything goes dark for a moment. 

Your eyes open up what feels like a few moments later, blurry figures move around you. You can't hear what they're saying. There's something wet on the side of your face. 

You close your eyes and lose yourself.


	5. So Many Sleepless Nights Where You Were Waiting Up On Me

Waking up was like wading through a thick, jello-y solution, a slow and agonizing process. It began with being aware of your body again, and you slowly regained your senses. You couldn't clearly hear anything, and strained to make your ears work. Then everything suddenly became clear. 

Your eyes opened slowly, and you took in your new surroundings. Immediately you recognized it as a hospital room, and struggled to lift your arms to hit the call nurse button. You waited a few minutes before hitting it again. 

A nurse entered the room, distracted by his clipboard. "Hello?" You called, your voice rough. He looked up immediately and nearly dropped the clipboard. 

"You're awake! I need to tell the doctor, but first, how are you feeling?" He asked, fumbling for a pen to jot something down. 

"My right side really hurts... My throat does as well, but I believe I'm simply thirsty." You rasp.

"I'll get you a water. Your friend left some of your things on the bedside table for you." Having said that, the nurse leaves the room. You look to your left and zero in on your phone, which is plugged into a charger. You grab it slowly, your muscles crying out at the minimal movement. Unlocking your phone, you check the date. 

A startled cry escapes from your lips, and a nearby nurse leans their head into the doorway. "Are you alright?" They ask. 

"The d-date, w-what's the date?" You ask quickly, stumbling over your words in a rush. 

"It's December 24th. Do you need anything else?" You shake your head, and a feeling of numbness spreads through your body. Your hands shake as you try to put in the passcode to your phone, but someone interrupts you before you can complete it. 

"We were worried you might not wake up." The Doctor said, sounding relieved. "Can you tell us what you remember?"

"My roommate, Jen... We were arguing in the car and she drove through a stoplight. After that, I am not sure." 

The Doctor made a note on her clipboard. "You also woke up once during surgery. The car window had shattered and you had glass deep enough in your skin that it had to be surgically removed. You were only awake for a few seconds, however." 

You nod and continue your task of putting in your phone passcode. The Skype app is the second app open, the first being Clash of Clans. You ignore the game for a moment in favor of checking your Skype. 

Thursday, November 26/11:42 A.M.  
WilfredWarfstache: Hey, are you alright?  
WilfredWarfstache: If you're there, I'm sort of panicking right now.  
WilfredWarfstache: My timer just stopped and started again a few times, something's wrong.  
WilfredWarfstache: I'm sure you're with your family but when you get back could you please message me?

Monday, November 30/2:34 P.M.  
WilfredWarfstache: You've been offline for a while, I'm really worried.  
WilfredWarfstache: Please message me. 

Friday, December 4/1:47 A.M.  
WilfredWarfstache: It's been over a week now.  
WilfredWarfstache: Please tell me you're okay.

Tuesday, December 8/3:12 P.M.  
WilfredWarfstache: You have no idea how much I'm worried  
WilfredWarfstache: You just vanished and  
WilfredWarfstache: Oh my god you're back online  
IAmNotMyOwn: um, hi  
WilfredWarfstache: Where have you been? I've been so worried about you.  
IAmNotMyOwn: im actually theyre roommate, my name is Jen  
WilfredWarfstache: Where is [Y/N]?  
IAmNotMyOwn: we were in a car accident. i wasnt paying attention  
IAmNotMyOwn: we were hit by a semi, i just got out of the hospital  
WilfredWarfstache: please  
WilfredWarfstache: please don't tell me  
IAmNotMyOwn: they're not dead, just in a coma.  
WilfredWarfstache: oh god i couldn't lose another person  
IAmNotMyOwn: im sorry i dont know when theyre going to wake up  
WilfredWarfstache: can you just  
WilfredWarfstache: when [y/n] wakes up  
WilfredWarfstache: can you please tell me  
IAmNotMyOwn: youre mark, arent you  
WilfredWarfstache: yeah, that's my name?  
IAmNotMyOwn: yeah, ill definitely tell you  
WilfredWarfstache: promise?  
IAmNotMyOwn: promise.

Thursday December 24/2:47 A.M.  
WilfredWarfstache: Hey Jen, you're back online! Please tell me there's good news.  
IAmNotMyOwn: i just got a call from the hospital  
IAmNotMyOwn: they said [y/n] is waking up  
WilfredWarfstache: Where  
IAmNotMyOwn: kaiseville permanente sacramento medical center  
WilfredWarfstache: I'm on my way

You look at the clock. It's almost 9 in the morning now, around six hours past the time that interaction had taken place. The nurse from before comes in with a cup of water and gives it to you, and you gulp in down greedily. 

"You have a visitor, you know. Your roommate was here earlier, but we didn't want anyone in here until you thought you were up for it." 

"Can I see them?" You ask quickly, almost as if he would leave if you waited any longer. "I'm feeling great now that I've had something to drink."

The Doctor laughs. "I'll tell them you're awake and up for visitors." She turns to leave, but before she is completely out of the room, she stops. "I almost forgot. Hospital regulation says that our patients timers have to be visible, so they had to uncover yours." With that final note, the woman exits. 

You stare at the wall for a few seconds, debating on whether or not to look. 

You decide that it doesn't matter. 

You turn over your wrist. 

'000y, 000d, 000h, 000m, 036s'.

You gasp at the short time, and your ears pick up on the sound of running footsteps. 

'000y, 000d, 000h, 000m, 005s'.

He skids past your door and you laugh. "Hi." You say softly whilst grinning. 

"Hey, I can't believe you're awake. You have no ide-" He glances down, then back up at you.

"Oh my god."

"Sorry about that, I was going to mention it to you one day. But I didn't want to be rude or seem pushy, and to be honest I really liked having you as a friend and I didn't want to mess that up and-" You stammer out, not even attempting to stop the flow of words coming from your mouth. 

"I remember you." You go silent at the statement. 

"Just over three years ago... It was you at that convention, I didn't even realize..."

"It's okay if you don't want to be friends anymore. I mean I would not want to be friends with myself if I had not, um, told myself something so important." You bury your head in your hands, whispering another 'I'm sorry'.

Arms wrap around you tightly. "It's okay. I understand, please don't beat yourself up over it." A few tears escape your eyes and you wipe them away. "It'll be okay. You know what?" 

He grabs your shoulders and holds you out in front of him. "We can figure this all out later. Right now, the most important thing is your health. Okay?" 

You nod, and he pulls you back into his arms. You stay in that position for a long time, and your eyes eventually get heavy. You fall asleep with a smile on your face.

000y, 000d, 000h, 000m, 000s. Maybe the timer tells the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Complete.
> 
> I'd like to thank each and every person who commented. These past few months I have been in and out of the hospital, and every time I came home I had comments waiting for me. This chapter has been a month in the making, and there have been no less than 8 versions of it (this being the 8th). I never thought I would get a response this great. 
> 
> On a side note, I am now taking prompts. Keep an eye out, though, I may or may not release a short one shot after this (I love the ending to this but oh man it's so ambiguous...). 
> 
> (Please send me prompts.)


End file.
